The Alger Underwater Diving Preserve at
Munising was the first preserve established in Michigan, and is one
of the most popular scuba diving areas in the Great
Lakes.

This Underwater Preserve offers several
unusual diving attractions including seacaves, intact shipwrecks, and
underwater interpretive trails. The sea caves are actually portions
of underwater sandstone cliffs where sandstone has been eroded by
waves. Although the caves are shallow,usually only about 20 feet
deep, they offer spectacular shallow water diving.

The Alger Preserve is located on the
south shore of Lake Superior near the diver-friendly city of Munising
in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This area of Lake Superior's
shoreline includes the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and offers
many scenic attractions to visiting divers. Magnificent waterfalls,
sand dunes, and hiking trails are all just a short distance from
town. Divers visiting the Alger Preserve are served
byShipwreck
Diving Tours, Captain Peter
Lindquist, a licensed charter operators with air stations and a well
stocked sources of rental equipment. A public launch ramp and fuel
pumps are available. Major dive sites are buoyed throughout the
season.

Many of the wreck sites located within
the Alger Preserve are protected from Superior's temperment by Grand
Island. Very seldom are dive trips cancelled because of the weather.
Underwater visibility in the Alger Preserve is considered to be among
the best in the Midwest. Thirty feet at depth of one hundred feet is
not uncommon. Mooring buoys and descent lines at all primary dive
sites, wrecks in safe diving depths, and an emergency evacuation plan
all contribute to making the Alger Preserve a safe place to
dive.

PRIMARY DIVE
SITES

The BERMUDA, a 150 foor wooden schooler
that sank in the spring of 1870 in Murray Bay on Grand Island, is a
very popular dive site for both beginners and advanced divers.
Although this wreck lies in only 30 feet of water, it is protected
from ice and wave damage by Grand Island. Her top deck is only 12'
below the water's surface where she has remained for 128 years. The
result is an intact 145 foot wooden schooner sitting upright and
waiting for visitors. The Bermuda had three hatches giving access to
the cargo hold, as well as two companionways and the large cabin
trunk near the stern. An underwater interpretive trail on this 1880's
shipwreck shows divers important features of the shipwreck as well as
unusual fish and other aquatic life. Divers can expect to have close
encounters with schools of rock bass and other colorful gamefish.

The SMITH MOORE, a 260-foot three masted
wooden steamer which sank in the Munising East Channel,July 13, 1889
as the result of damages suffered in a collision. Resting intact in about 100 feet of water with visibility of 20-40 feet.
Divers with intermediate to advanced skills will enjoy this wreck.
Divers have easy access to some portions of the interior of the
vessel through open hatches. The wreck lies nearly intact on the sand
bottom. The deck is at 80 feet and divers will find much machinery as
well as schools of gamefish at this site.

The MANHATTAN, a wood hulled freighter
which sank Oct. 26, 1903. Now in 20-40 foot depths off the east shore
of Grand Island. Divers can visit a large portion of the steamer's
hull framing. The vessel's enormous rudder, with its depth markings
still visible, lies nearby.

The HERMAN HETTLER, a 235-foot wooden
steamer wrecked in Nov. 1926 when she was seeking shelter in Munising
Harbor and slammed into a reef. Located in 30-40 foot depths of
outstanding visibility. On the inner edge of the reef where the
Hetler struck, her boiler can be found in about 25' of water, along
with part of her hull, and a field of debris such as mechanical
parts, tanks, piping, and even a bathtub.

The SUPERIOR, a sidewheel passenger and
package freight steamer launched in 1845, that foundered off Pictured
Rocks, Oct. 29,1856. The oldest known wreck in the area, she is in
10-20 feet of water.

The KIOWA, a grain carrying 251-foot
steel bulk freight steamer, was hit by a gale in Nov. 1929. The Kiowa
is located at 20-40 foot depths. On a clear day the huge sections of
hull are easily visible from the surface. The stern of the wreck lies
on its port side. Here the diver can see the steamer's steering
quadrant and emergency steering gear. A short distance forward, an
enclosed ladderway leads down toward the propeller shaft tunnel. At
the forward end of the tunnel, the propeller shaft and its massive
thrust bearing can be seen.

The
STEVEN M. SELVICK, a steel tug, 71 feet in length was intentionally
sunk off Trout Point in May of 1996 in the Alger Underwater Preserve.
She resisted sinking and water had to be pumped into her engine room.
The Selvik then went down with her whistles blowing. She is totally
intact in 60 ft. of water and rises to within 30 ft. of the surface,
making this a great dive for beginners to experts. Divers have access
to all areas of the tug. The pilothouse, galley, mess room, engine
room, and crew quarters can all be penetrated. The tug was donated to
the Alger Preserve by Selvick Marine of Sturgeon Bay,
WI.

Capt. Peter Lindquist of Shipwreck
Diving Tours was responsible,
in large part, for adding the Steven M. Selvick to the Alger
Underwater Diving Preserve.

Other unusual and interesting dive sites
include: Cathedral Caves, Miners Castle, Ferry Dock Landing Drop-off,
Pancake Rocks and the dock ruins off shore from the Munising High
School. These dive sites offer unique rock formations, caves (usually
inhabited by large fish) and multicolored rocks with an amazing
reflection of light.

In 1988, the Department of Natural
Resources declared the Alger area at Munising an Underwater Preserve
and enacted laws protecting what is left of the shipwrecks and other
underwater natural resources. It is against the law to remove any
artifact from the underwater preserve.

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